DUSHANBE, March 22, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan plans to reform the principles of setting a minimal wage, Asia-plus has learned at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MoLSP).
The source at a MoLSP said that in accordance with the wage reform concept endorsed at a February 29 government session, the minimal wage should be indexed every year pursuant to indices approved by the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
At present the minimum monthly wage in Tajikistan is set at 20 somonis (equivalent to some $6.00).
In accordance with wage reform concept, the rate of increase of nominal wage in sectors with the lowest minimum wage will be higher than in other sectors.
In the meantime, according to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics for January-February 2008, the lowest average monthly wages were reported in forestry and agrarian sector – 48.5 somonis (little more than $14.00) and 55.9 somonis (little more than $16.2) respectively. The highest average monthly wages were reported in financial and telecommunications sectors – more than 732 somonis (some $212) and 483.7 somonis (some $140) respectively.
